HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Oct 1: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials are actively participating in the nationwide ‘Swachhata Hi Seva 2024’ campaign, a movement focused on promoting cleanliness and environmental sustainability. This initiative started on September 16 and will last until October 2, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission and culminates on Swachh Bharat Diwas, as a tribute to the Father of the Nation. The theme for this year, ‘Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata’, seeks to emphasise the role of individual responsibility and collective action in maintaining cleanliness across the country. The campaign has been launched to sensitise people about observing proper hygiene, encourage them to desist from open defecation, and keep stations and railway tracks clean. From the first day, various activities have been organised at railway colonies, workplaces, and station premises to raise awareness among railway employees, their family members, and passengers.
The Swachhata campaign was launched on September 16 with a Swachhata Pledge at NFR’s headquarters, where all PHODs, HODs, and staff took part. A Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir was organised at Guwahati Railway Station, where PPE kits along with safety gear were distributed to safai mitras. Information on various central government schemes was shared with them during the Shivir. Various health check-up camps for safai mitras were set up in connection with the Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir at Divisional Railway Hospitals in New Tinsukia, Dibrugarh Town, Rangiya, and Dibrugarh. Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, general manager, NF Railway, and other senior officials, along with family members, participated in a walkathon from Maligaon Officers Colony to Railway Stadium on September 19. With the slogan ‘Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat’, walkathon programs were held across all divisions of NFR. Various sporting events were also held across all divisions to encourage healthy living with a clean environment on the occasion of SHS 2024.
General manager NF Railway, Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, and general manager NF Railway (Construction), Arun Kumar Chaudhary, led other senior officers during a plantation drive at Maligaon under the initiative ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ as part of the SHS 2024 campaign. A sale of recycled plastic waste products was organised at Guwahati Station, promoting the ‘Waste to Art’ concept as an initiative of the campaign. A door-to-door cleanliness awareness and garbage collection drive was conducted across Railway Colonies of NF Railway to sensitise people about maintaining clean and hygienic surroundings.